1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manipulator operation system for a body cavity that performs an operation while observing a diseased part in a body cavity.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in, e.g., a surgical field, a manipulator operation system for a body cavity that performs an operation on behalf of an operator is known. The manipulator operation system has an endoscope or a treatment instrument, and operates, e.g., a grasping forceps at a distal end of the treatment instrument based on remote control by an operator to observe a diseased part in a body cavity. A bending portion coupled with the distal end of the treatment instrument or a bending portion of the endoscope usually has an articulated structure. Such a manipulator operation system moves each joint by using an actuator and thereby causes the distal end of the treatment instrument to easily approach (move closer to) a target region in a body cavity.
At this time, an imaging section, e.g., a CCD takes an image of the diseased part. This taken image is displayed in a display section, e.g., a monitor as an observation image. An operator operates an operating section, e.g., a joystick while visually observing the observation image. The treatment instrument is remotely operated with an operation (bending) amount with respect to an operation (input) amount for the operating portion by an operator so that the diseased part is given a treatment by, e.g., a grasping forceps in the treatment instrument.
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H08-187246 discloses a manipulator apparatus for a body cavity operation in which operability of a handling skill is increased by moving a treatment instrument or a subject in an observation screen at a speed facilitating observation every time a manipulation is carried out.
Furthermore, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H08-11071 discloses a manipulator control apparatus that allows a moving speed of a slave manipulator control point in a TV screen to constantly take a set value in accordance with an operation amount and an operation direction of an operator even though a focal distance of a camera, a distance from the camera to a slave manipulator control point, or a posture of the camera varies.
Moreover, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H 08-309680 discloses a manipulator control system that can always maintain a magnitude ratio of movement of an end point of a master arm and movement of a picture of an end point of a slave arm in a television monitor constant when a zoom ratio of an image input device is arbitrarily changed.